


Slow and steady wins the race

by sazanaaraeleven



Category: Inazuma Eleven
Genre: F/F, Pretending to be straight
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-07
Updated: 2015-12-07
Packaged: 2018-05-05 12:36:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,525
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5375426
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sazanaaraeleven/pseuds/sazanaaraeleven
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>this is the cheesiest title i've ever come up with. it's a fic about everyone's favorite i11 couple (i can dream)! written from touko's point of view, she is gay as hell, i can't be bothered to read it for errors bc i'd get embarrassed about how cheesy and fluffy it is, midorikawa gets reduced to a plot device, kazemaru is there for one line.</p>
<p>i've always loved writing confessions, tbh. mostly because they're easy as hell, since you don't need to make stuff happen like on a date. oh well, it's short and sweet, so who cares! i might write more rikatou fics if i can be bothered to actually write something creative for once.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Slow and steady wins the race

Watching Inazuma Japan train would probably never get boring, but Touko still wasn’t happy. It was a week before the Fire Dragon match, the match that would decide which Asian team would face the world. Touko felt antsy. Watching them play made her want to play, but girls weren’t allowed to participate in the FFI. She’d made a mental note to herself to pester her dad about it, since she felt that it was incredibly unfair. She should’ve been given a chance to face off with the world’s strongest, too!  
Rika was there with her, so Touko wasn’t the only person that was disappointed by the FFI, although it was for a completely different reason. Ichinose hadn’t made the cut, or rather: he hadn’t even been considered as a Japan player, since he and Domon went to America.  
“They’re all in good shape, but I miss darling! Why’d he have to go to America? Couldn’t you have stopped him, Touko? Your papa’s the prime minister, right?”  
Touko had just shrugged it off, not even dignifying her best friend with an answer. But it bugged her. Darling this, darling that. It was always about Ichinose with Rika, or any other pretty boys that caught her eye. But Ichinose was definitely Rika’s favorite, for some reason. To Touko, he just seemed… plain. He was just another soccer freak, nothing more, nothing less. The only boy Touko had ever felt any sort of affection for was Endou, but that crush had faded as quick as it had come. It was the normal thing to do, having a crush on a boy. It made Touko worried. She tried to like Endou romantically, she really did! For like a day or two, three. Then she lost interest. Was she not normal?

With Rika’s number one love interest having fled overseas (godspeed, Ichinose!), there wasn’t much left of Rika’s love life. So, naturally, Rika began meddling in the love lives of others. Specifically, the love life of the scary coach’s teenage daughter. Great idea, Rika!  
“Are you listening to me, Touko? We’ve gotta get Fuyuka and Endou together!” Touko was listening, and tried her best at feigning interest. She failed miserably, of course.  
“What do you mean we ‘gotta’?” she asked.  
“Uh, duh,” Rika replied. “Endou’s feeling down, and nothing cheers a guy up like love and affection. Plus, they’re childhood friends! Fuyuka knows what kind of soccer freak Endou is! She’s reserved, he’s brash! Trust me, it’s a match made in heaven. Also, he calls her Fuyuppe. That is the sweetest thing! I wish darling had a nickname for me like that!”  
“Okayyy,” Touko said, not really seeing where Rika was going with this.  
“So, I gave Fuyuka some advice to cheer Endou up a little, and as her romance mentor, I’m going to keep a close eye on her!” Rika said excitedly.  
“Rika, that’s stalking. You can go to jail for that,” Touko replied bluntly. She was not in the mood for these straight shenaningans.  
“Blegh, details. Who needs ‘em? Come on, it’ll be fun! And it’s for Endou’s sake.”

And so, on a beautiful Saturday that could have been spent at the beach, practicing soccer or shopping, Touko found herself accompanying Rika on what the latter referred to as ‘a crusade of true love’. Sure, Rika. Touko had to admit, Rika had good taste. Clothing stores, eating parfaits, roller coasters… The town was perfect for accommodating budding romances. However, even Touko’s eye, which was untrained in the art of seeing attraction between boys and girls, could see that there was absolutely zero chemistry between Fuyuka and Endou. If Endou had to choose between Fuyuka and an old soccer ball, he’d pick the soccer ball without a second thought. Touko had a hard time imagining Endou loving anything more than soccer. Fuyuka didn’t even seem to like soccer that much.  
Along the way, they inevitably ran into other people, all very jealous of either Endou of Fuyuka. Touko was never sure which. She did, however, criticize everyone’s fashion sense in her head. God damn, what the hell was Kazemaru wearing? Shouldn’t he be swimming in a pool of his own sweat, judging by all of those layers? And yellow totally wasn’t his color. He might as well have shown up in his Inazuma Japan jersey – since at least that looked good on him. Kazemaru’s, Midorikawa and especially Kabeyama and Kurimatsu all had zero fashion sense. They withered in comparison to Rika, who looked great as ever. Touko was convinced that she’d look great in anything, much unlike herself. She’d worn dresses before, but somehow, she found them more stiffening than a suit. Rika had taken her shopping once, and although Touko thought she looked horrible in all those overly feminine clothes, Rika was enthusiastic. That was all the motivation Touko needed to grin and bear it. Just like she’d grinned and beared all of Rika’s boy talk from the moment they met.  
“Do you think it’s working? I bet it’s working,” Rika said.  
“Do you really think Endou will cheer up from this?” Kazemaru asked, who along with the others was tagging along on Rika's 'crusade', making the group stand out like a penguin in the desert.  
“There’s a saying that goes ‘slow and steady wins the race’,” Midorikawa quoted. It was the only time Touko ever found one of Midorikawa’s sayings meaningful.

It was weeks later. Naturally, Inazuma Japan had triumphed over Fire Dragon and had made it to the FFI finals, along with other amazing teams from all over the world. And of course, Touko’s dad was more than willing to have a private jet fly her and Rika to Liocott Island, the location of the finals.  
“Woohoo! This is something else, Touko! I totally owe you one! Ooh, I know. I’ll treat you to free okonomiyaki in Osaka! Urabe family recipe! It’ll knock your taste buds clean off, in a good way!” Touko chuckled. Of course, one plate of okonomiyaki did not compare to a free plane ride half across the globe, but hey: free food is free food. The thought of Rika cooking for her also didn’t sound too bad.  
“I’ll be sure to remember that,” Touko said.  
“Seriously, though, your dad is the coolest.”  
“Don’t exaggerate,” Touko said. “He can be a real pain sometimes. He’s always so worried about me!”  
“Sounds like my mom,” Rika said. Suddenly, Touko felt uneasy. As if she’d read Touko’s mind, Rika said: “I know what you’re thinking. But hey, I turned out pretty okay for someone whose dad ran away with his tail between his legs, so to speak, right?”  
“Yeah, but it can’t be easy,” Touko said.  
“It’s not, trust me. I wish my mom had better taste. But I’m sure she does too.”  
The rest of the flight was spent in silence. Touko felt like she learned something today, about why Rika was so hell-bent on marrying Ichinose, or anyone for that matter. It wasn’t romance at work, it was a matter of pride. Rika didn’t want to turn out like her mother. Touko didn’t know much about the Urabe family life, but she felt that it was probably a lot more stressful than hers. She felt ashamed, sitting in her papa’s private jet, next to a girl who wanted to believe that not all men were rats like her father.

The awkward conversation was soon forgotten after they landed on Liocott Island, AKA Soccer Island. True to its name, it was not only a paradise for soccer players, but also for anyone else. Shops! Beaches! Nature! There was something there for everyone. Of course, Rika immediately tried to get a hotel in the American area, but Inazuma Japan supporters were sent to the Japanese area’s hotel, which was much less luxurious. They had to share a room together, something that Touko didn’t really mind at all. Or at least she thought she wouldn’t.  
“Hey, how about I hook you up with Endou? Or Tsunami?” Rika asked, while lying on bed. There were two separate beds, both with very soft mattresses and pillows, just the way Touko liked them. Rika’s question, however, hit her like a brick.  
“Wh-what?” Touko asked, and she internally cursed at herself for blushing. She was blushing out of bewilderment, but Rika would surely interpret it as a flustered blush.  
“You like them, right?” Rika asked. “We should go stud hunting tomorrow. We need to score you a hot date! I mean, I’ve got my darling, but that doesn’t mean I can’t be your winggirl!”  
No. God, no! Endou and Tsunami were great guys and all, but dating them? Not in a million years. Touko shuddered at the thought. Saying yes would be the normal thing to do, though. Also, they would at least hang out the entire day if they went ‘stud hunting’ together. So Touko said the most illogical thing to ever come out of her mouth.  
“Sure. Fine. Let’s go find me a date tomorrow, I guess.” You’ll be with Rika all day, she told herself. Grin and bear it. Midorikawa’s words from what felt like an eternity ago echoed in her head. Slow and steady wins the race.

“How about that one, then? He’s cute… and totally checking you out, too!” Liocott’s shopping area was bustling, and, according to Rika, the perfect place to pick up cute guys. Whatever you say, Rika. The heat was unbearable, and it dulled everything. Touko had taken off her jacket and loosened her collar and tie, so she actually looked rather sloppy. Rika didn’t seem to mind, though. To Touko, it looked as if she had more fun looking at guys than actually introducing Touko to them. Suited her just fine. Just hearing Rika talk was… pleasing. She had the kind of voice that Touko could listen to for hours, without ever getting bored.  
“Jeez, you really seem out of it today! You haven’t as much as looked at any guy I’ve pointed out to you!”  
“Huh? Oh, uh, sorry.” Touko awkwardly stared at Rika for a second.  
“What’s the matter with you, Touko? If there’s something wrong, you can always tell me. I’m your best friend, aren’t I?”  
That’s right. Rika was her best friend, and it bothered Touko to no extent. Normal girls don’t get crushes on their best female friends. Normal girls get crushes on boys, or so she’d been told all her life. But someone like Rika, she’d surely… be disgusted. Someone as dedicated to the boy-meets-girl kind of romance as Rika would never even consider another girl. If Touko came clean about her feelings, she’d surely destroy their friendship in the blink of an eye. Just like that, poof, gone, kablooey. Rika’d go “Ew, you’re into girls?” and never say another word to her again. Touko would rather admire her best friend from a distance and maintain this unrequited love that was eating her up inside than risk what she had.  
“It’s nothing, Rika. The heat– it’s just making me feel a little tired, that’s all.”  
Rika paused. There was a serious look on her face. Her beautiful, beautiful– wait, no! Damn it.  
“… Don’t lie to me, Touko. There’s something on your mind, isn’t there?” Rika leaned uncomfortably close to Touko's face, and the latter had a hard time trying not to look away flustered.  
Touko’s heart was pounding right through her chest. Was this strange distance, this unnatural yearning, was it really worth clinging to? Is it possible that taking a risk sometimes does yield the best results?  
“There is. There is something on my mind, Rika.” Touko took a deep breath. “Please don’t hate me.” She put her hands on Rika’s cheeks. Her hands were warm and sweaty, but Rika’s cheeks were soft. So soft, that Touko could’ve probably just held those forever, until she pulled Rika closer and discovered that her lips were even softer. To Touko’s surprise, Rika didn’t pull away or resist, like she’d anticipated it for a long time. This was so shocking that Touko was the first one to pull away.  
“Oh my God, Rika, I… I’m so sorry…” was all she could say.  
“I-It’s okay,” said Rika. “I kind of saw it coming.”  
“Wait, seriously?”  
“Yes, I’m serious. I’ve suspected it for a long time now, but now... Well, I'm one-hundred percent sure,” Rika said. “So I guess I should be the one to apologize,” she said, rubbing the back of her head awkwardly. “Jeez, why didn’t you just tell me you were into girls? I look like a jerk now!”  
Touko was completely knocked off balance. She’d expected to be slapped in the face or something, or pushed away, or something like that! Nothing like this, though.  
“I… I thought you’d hate me for it, or something,” she said. Saying it out loud, she finally realized how stupid it sounded.  
“Really? Well, what kind of friend would I be if I did?” Rika said. “Have a little more faith in me, Touko.” She put Touko’s hand in hers, and Touko almost froze on the spot. “So I guess you like me, huh?” Rika said. There was childish excitement in her voice and a spark in her eyes. To Touko's delight, it was the same spark Rika had when talking about Ichinose.  
“I do,” Touko blurted out. “I like you a lot, Rika! Ever since we first met, I’ve been attracted to you.”  
“I’m flattered, Touko.” Rika wasn’t planning to let Touko’s hand go. “I like you too, you know. Boys, girls, it’s all good to me, honestly. Although my mom probably expects me to come home with a husband one day. Well, that’s her problem, really.”  
“B-But… What about Ichinose? Isn’t he your darling?” Touko asked.  
“Ichinose is cute and all, definitely! No doubt about that. But… he won’t answer my feelings. Ever. I've known that for a long time, but I've never really... Well, we all need to cling to something, right?" Amen to that, Touko thought. "Ichinose’s in the past now> He's been in the past for a long time, actually. But you, Touko... you’re the present and the future,” said Rika.  
“Are you serious?” Touko was still in disbelief.  
“Of course I’m serious! I wanna go out with you, Touko! You’re the coolest girl I know.” Touko’s face went scarlet. Rika liked her back! Rika liked her back!!!  
“I love you!” she said, almost yelling it. Tears were welling up in the corners of her eyes, and she furiously wiped them away.  
“Hey, no crying, Touko! This is a happy moment!”  
“I know, I know, but I’m just so happy…! I love you, I love you, I love you! I’ll say it ‘till my throat goes sore!”  
“I love you too, Touko. Once we get back, how about I treat you to that okinomiyaki I owe you? I’ll make it an extra special Lovey-Dovey Dish.” Touko grinned, still teary-eyed.  
"Sounds great, darling."

There was a certain amount of truth in Midorikawa’s words back then. Forming a mutual attraction takes time. Slow and steady wins the race, but nothing is impossible for a willing heart.


End file.
